Jagirdar Masjid in Moinabad, the mosque that bears historical significance in Chilkur village, Telangana, has been found to have been destroyed on July 22, and a complaint has been filed against a local landowner, who is accused of razing the mosque with a group of people.
The mosque, which was situated on land recorded in survey numbers 133 and 134 and managed by the Telangana State Waqf Board, had been a site for occasional prayers by the local Muslim population.
The destruction was brought to light by Mohammad Ahmed, a resident who, upon noticing the absence of the mosque, alerted other villagers. Upon arriving at the site, villagers confirmed that the mosque had been completely levelled by the land owner Prasad and his associates,.siasat.com reported.
Prominent figures including Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) party leader Amjedullah Khan, All India Majlis-E-Ittehad Ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLC Mirza Rahmath Baig, and other representatives from the minority welfare department visited the site late on the night of the incident. They met with Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajendranagar Ch Srinivas to demand immediate and stringent action against those responsible for the demolition.
The police have registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act of 1984. The charges include offences related to public property damage and the potential incitement of communal tension.
The complainant, Layeekhunnisa, highlighted that the mosque had been documented in the Waqf Board's records and was surrounded by dense trees. The demolition reportedly aligns with a broader scheme involving the conversion of the land into plots for sale, a plan that has raised additional concerns about the motives behind the act.
In response to the incident, the Telangana State Waqf Board has taken immediate measures by drilling a bore well at the demolished site and setting up a temporary shed for continued prayers. Efforts are underway to construct a permanent structure in place of the destroyed mosque.